Hi folks, I decided to go back to crunching for SETI after running with it the first couple of years when it started under a different login/password. Tech has... progressed a bit since then and I forgot most of my login info, but it sure would be neat to continue with that as I had crunched quite a bit before I stopped.

Anyway, I'm now running an i7 3970x (6 cores, for now at 3.5ghz) and a GeForce 670 GC. As an above average computer-knowledge guy, it's been my experience that CPUs are built like a tank, so running at 100% for multiple years generally isn't a problem provided you have adequate cooling.

However, GPUs tend to fry on me about 30% of the time, within 1 year, under 'normal' use. This is based upon almost 2 decades of computer hardware experience, with different cases in different rooms with different cooling options installed. I'm guessing that the reason for such a high failure rate with this piece of hardware is because GPU cooling is and always has been overlooked compared to the CPU, and the small fans modern GPU's come with just don't do much.

Bottom line is that I'm NOT going to allow my GPU to crunch as I feel this will significantly affect the lifespan of an already hit-or-miss lifespan piece of hardware.

if it frys under a year, surely it would still be under warranty... most cards usually come with a 2 or 3 year warranty and atleast some evga ones you can up that to a 10 yr warranty (if you register and apparently pay a "small" charge). if you can remember your email and password you can merge the accounts i think still or just use your old account with your new host. so personally if you want to id just run it to the max and hope it dies a short bit before your warranty expires :)

Unfortunately, I only remember the email address that was used (which I don't have anymore) and some ideas as to what the password was. At that time, however, SETI@Home was running itself via server and now it seems this 3rd party software "BOINC" thing is running it. Not sure if I can still get the old account back or not...

Unfortunately, I only remember the email address that was used (which I don't have anymore) and some ideas as to what the password was. At that time, however, SETI@Home was running itself via server and now it seems this 3rd party software "BOINC" thing is running it. Not sure if I can still get the old account back or not...

no, you won't get that old account back, I had very similar issue when I got back.
I used to be in the top 1000 back then before I stop when the first BOINC version
kept freezing the workstations running SETI.
Because I had a little bit more info (and still access to the old email account), I am not listed with a joined date back in '99 and a full "SETI@Home Classic" WU with 7 hours of runtime when I signed back up in Oct'2011...

As to GPU crunching... lots if not most of us crunch with their GPUs without any issues. And if it fails... well, that's what you have spares for. Even some old PCI card will do untill the replacement arrives. At least that's the way I see it..

As to the graphic card question, personally I have several spare cards, not because they went faulty, but because I have upgraded to better and faster cards. As I suspect most of the serious crunchers here have. GPU's do fail but not often and mostly "overclocked" ones!!

I currently run 5 crunchers 24/7 all with GPU's on SETI Beta and my daily machine, here. "Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine."

My failure rate on GPUs is 1-in-3, within a year-- most of those fail much earlier. And I've never overclocked my own, they've either been "regular" versions or factory overclocked, so they've not been overly stressed. I've also used all the manufacturers and have not noticed any particular quality difference between, say, an EVGA vs Galaxy. Still, that's a high failure rate and no other PC component comes close, at least for me.

I've inquired on numerous related forums (including Nvidia's since I use them exclusively) as to why their hardware fails so frequently, and I get mixed answers. Some have had great luck, others not. I guess I'm part of the rotten luck group.

As for keeping a spare, I prefer to recoup some of the cost by reselling. I upgrade GPUs about every 1.5 years, and can make around 30% of my money back by selling the used one. I also game fairly regularly, so keeping a vastly outdated GPU 'just in case' is really the same as not having one if it's not able to do anything but run Windows. I admit, I'm high maintenance. LOL

Anyway, I think I've got one of the 2 of 3 that seems to work well, and I'd rather not burn it out running 100% crunching numbers. I'll give ya my CPU all day, tho.

I use TThrottle to control CPU and GPU temps. It will "throttle" back the device to keep it at or below the temperature limit you set. The author (eFMer) is active here at SETI and has forums on his website for Q&A.Another Fred
Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop.